James Leon "Jim" Tickner

James "Jim" Leon Tickner
Born in Kansas City, MO – April 19, 1956
Died in Rowlett, TX – July 10, 2024
Jim grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois with his parents, Jack and Dorothy
Tickner, his older sister, Anne, and younger brother, Bruce. After graduating Palatine High
School, he went on to study history – igniting a life-long passion – at Georgia State University in
Valdosta.
He married Cindy Kiker in 1982 and had two daughters: Heather and Loren. Cindy passed away
in 2012 after 29 wonderful years of marriage.
He then married Nancy Allen. She had two adult sons: John and James.
He was an insurance underwriter for 35 years in Missouri and Texas.
Siezing a job opportunity, he moved his family from Kansas City, MO to College Station, TX,
where both of his daughters graduated high school, after which he and his wife, Cindy moved
closer to family in the Garland area.
He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish, and later in life he took up scuba
diving, enjoying several underwater adventures with his wife Nancy. Ever the history buff and
traveler, he became an amateur archeologist and assisted on a research dig in Israel. In his
travels throughout the country and abroad, he could always be counted on to point out some
interesting historic events or landmarks. He especially enjoyed studying the Civil War, and on
the anniversary of the Gettysburg battle, he would challenge his daughters with a new version of
his famous Gettysburg Quiz.
He was a faithful member of the church of Christ. He served as a deacon at two of the churches
he was a member of. He also enjoyed participating in VBS, with memorable roles as Ruben and
a philistine solider, and teaching adult bible classes.
He leaves behind his wife Nancy, and her two sons and daughters in law James and Katie Allen
and John and Sarah Allen, his two daughters, Heather and Loren, and Loren's husband Michael
Vander Sys. He had two grandchildren; Caleb and Nathanael (Nate) and numerous nieces and
nephews who he loved dearly.
We will honor Jim Tickner with a visitation at Williams Funeral Home in Garland located at 1600
South Garland Ave. Garland, Texas 75040, Monday, July 15th from 6:00-8:00. Additionally, we
will hold a graveside service at the Nelta Cemetery, Co Rd 3573, Sulphur Bluff, TX 75481.
Lunch following the service will be provided at Bodacious Barbecue in Sulfur Springs.